TOWER OF LONDON (LONDON) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

TOWER OF LONDON (LONDON) - Essay Example The Tower of London which is also known as ‘Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress’ is the royal palace of England which is made up of several buildings. The Tower of London was made in order to control and protect the whole city. The architecture is a complex that consists of several buildings and is surrounded by a moat and defensive walls. It is a significantly important landmark in London famous for the several features that it has. The White Tower was built in 1078 by William the Conqueror and was marked as a symbol of oppression which was imposed by the new elites. The castle has been used for many purposes from being a prison to a royal residence. One of its most important features is that its Jewel House houses the Crown Jewels which include symbols of royalty, a collection of crowns, swords, rings, and scepters. These historical items and the layers of history which is related to the Tower of London is what make it significant since it was built and till today (Cline 14). The Tower of London was built in 1066 by William the Conqueror and it holds immense universal value because of its cultural features and qualities. Its finest quality is its landmark setting in the City of London which is suitable for both controlling and protecting the city. It is set as a gateway to the capital and previously as the gateway to the Norman kingdom. Its location was chosen strategically at the north-end of Thames River and it serves as a separation point between the powerful monarchy and the developing capital city. The tower served a double role as a protection provider for the city through the defence walls and structure as well as the structure to control the citizens. The tower was a very tall building and it was the highest in its surrounding till the 19th century (Parnell 32). The tower also served as a symbol of Norman power as it was built to demonstrate the Norman power. The Tower significantly represents the Norman Conquest of the 11th century more than

Richard IIIs Battle speech Essay Example for Free

Richard IIIs Battle speech Essay Question a) Examine the literary elements such as diction, symbolism, rhythm, and tone in this extract, and analyze their significance. b) Then, examine how this extract is translated onto film, paying close attention to the ways in which the film adaptations by Laurence Olivier and Al Pacino enhance/ modify your understanding of the play text. Answer a) The extract passage from Shakespeares Richard III depicts how King Richard gives his battle speech to his army, focusing on the raggedness of Richmonds army and their opposition to him as a King. The extract passage is right after King Richard had a dream where the ghosts of all the people he had killed spoke and condemns him. I will be analyzing extract passage from the play, commenting on theme, settings, diction, symbolism, rhythm and tone. In part (b), I will be analyzing the film adaptations of Olivier and Al Pacino on this particular extract, commenting on how each director interpret the extract passage, particularly on the Mise-en-scene of each film adaptation. As Richard was giving his oration to the army, there is structural irony in his speech. It is an irony that he tells his army they having lands, and blest with beauteous wives, Richmonds army will restrain the one, distain the other because in the first place, Richard and the other Yorkists were the ones who killed Henry IV and overthrew the Lancasters who were ruling then. Another irony is that he was the one who uses the power of language to manipulate and seduce Lady Anne, stealing the beauteous wife of Henry IV first. Such irony is engaged by Shakespeare to emphasize one of the themes of the play which is the allure of evil. Richard III does not explore the cause of evil in the human mind so much as it explores its operation, depicting the workings of Richards mind and the methods he uses to manipulate, control, and injure others for his own gain. Another literary device Shakespeare used in this play is the rhyming couplet: March on, join bravely, let us tot pell-mell/ If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell. In Shakespeares poem, the rhyming couplet has an important significant. We see Richard, after this extract passage, obsessed with his own self-preservation, as indicated by his cry of [a] horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!. Richard clearly reveals his priorities. He would trade everything for a horse on which to improve his chances of surviving the battle rather than die honorably for his cause and this is contradicting his prior speech to the army. Richard III is written in blank verse. Blank verse is unrhymed lines made up of ten syllables in which every second syllable is stressed (study unit 1 pg 26). The rhythms of the verses are caused by these unrhymed iambic pentameters Shakespeare uses. Iambic pentameter is a line made up of five pairs of short/long, or unstressed/stressed, syllables. For example: de-VISED at-FIRST to-KEEP the-STRONG in-AWE. This gives the verses rhythm and makes the verses interesting to read. The tone of the extract passage is strong. There are uses of exclamation marks, for example: Off with his son Georges head! to show the wrath of Richard. Richard also poses questions. For example: Shall these enjoy our lands? Lie with our wives?. Questions can engage the viewers, making the viewers enter his thinking. The lines are also kept within ten syllabus and the words are short so that it will produce a more punchy effect as it is being read out. The short words and rhythmic tone in turns make the diction of the extract clear too. b) In Pacinos film adaptation of extract passage of Richard III, Richard was filmed giving the oration to his army. When examining the cinematic space of the film, the camera shot from a very low angle as Richard was giving the oration. Richard is in the foreground and this makes him look very much bigger. Since it is shot from a low angle up to Richard, Richard seems to be looking down on everyone as he is speaking, emphasizing his power and authority. His oration is quite long and this emphasizes the power of language in achieving political powers, which is one of the central themes to Richard III. Language may not always be a necessary instrument of power, but for Richard, it is a crucial weapon. His extraordinary skill with words enables him to manipulate, confuse, and control those around him. In this case, Pacino is trying to show us that Richards words are powerful and he uses them to control his army. Also, as they shot from the low angle, it depicts the round, bird-like silhouette of Richard, emphasizing on his deformity even more. His deformed body is a symbol of corrupted nature and Pacino make the viewers see that. Richard was the only one being filmed when he was giving the oration. He is in power, but he is alone: his brothers, nephews, and even his own wife are all dead at his hand, his mother has cursed and abandoned him, and even the person who was once his closest friend-Buckingham-has been sent to execution. His army was also not in the frame. Pacino probably wants to emphasize the fact that his army is not actually with him. His army served him not out of respect and loyalty but because they were afraid of him since he constantly beheads anyone who comes into his path. In this film of the extract passage, it vividly dramatizes the contrast between Richards character and Richmonds character, shifting the scene back and forth between them a few times. The leaders, in their respective camps, make almost identical preparations as they ready for the next days battle, but the difference between them can be seen in the way they go about their business. Richard speaks brusquely to his lords, and, as we can see, essentially is isolated from all human contact. Pacino made Richmond appeared gracious. The pre-battle preparation of the two leaders clearly shows their different styles: Richmond was filmed praying to God. In contrast, Richard simply mocks the enemy soldiers, calling them a scum of Bretons and base lackey peasants Looking for Richard is a documentary film and for this scene, Richard is actually not dressed in the medieval costume. It is more like a rehearsal. This suggests Pacinos search for the most effective way to bring the world of King Richard to life for a contemporary audience. It also points to their conviction that Shakespeares characters and themes are timeless: Everyone can look for Richard, and find him, in the world around them. In Oliviers film adaptation of the extract passage Richard III, Richard was not filmed giving the long oration to his army. Instead, the viewers were treated to a battle to watch. The film adaptation was very much close to Shakespeares play. Olivier spoke with rhythm as Richard addresses his army. As he spoke March on, the army shouted a hail as a reply. After he spoke the rhyming couplet: pell-mell and to hell, he leads his army forward on his horse. It was dramatic as he was about to go to the battle. The film was in technicolour and this probably appeals to the viewers at that time. With the technicolour used, the viewers were able to see vividly the colour of their medieval costumes and this makes the whole film real and engaging. The scene of the film was a long shot. There was not much editing done. Spatially, it was shot from afar so that both the army and Richard can be seen. There was not much close up shot except for when Richard has fallen off the horse and his crown rolled away. This foreshadows Richards dethroning. In conclusion, the literary elements such as rhythm, diction, tone, settings, symbolism and themes compliments each other, making Shakespeares play a classic read all time. Both Pacinos and Oliviers film adaptation of Richard III provides viewers with different interpretation of the play, widening the viewers perspective of the play. Bibliography ELT370 Shakespeare on film study guide. SIM University. 2011 Looking For Richard. Dir. Al Pacino. Perf. Al Pacino, Vincent Angell, Harris Yulin, Alec Baldwin. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 1996. Film.

The History Of Holiday Representatives

The History Of Holiday Representatives They are responsible for people between the ages of eighteen to thirty during activities and night life entertainment which is normally held in the clubs around. They have to meet and greet people at the airport so its their job to make sure they know the amount of people they have to pick up at the airport. They are responsible to have great communication skills and to be able to meet new people everyday who they will then have to look after for a couple of days. To the organisation As they will be clubbing away most of the nights including the representative they have to make sure that the surrounding areas are safe for their customers. Health and safety checks are important this is in case of an incident which could occur especially if customers get too drunk so therefore the most important thing is to keep the place clean as possible and keep things where you found them. To suppliers There job is also to sell excursion like club and pub crawls, events outside the hotel and pool parties so therefore there responsibility is to make sure they are buying tickets from appropriate suppliers at a reasonable price especially because the representative look after a lot of people every week. Roles and Duties Meet and greet (Roles) 18-30 representatives have to take thousands of passengers all over the Mediterranean every summer and so therefore they have to meet and greet many people. In order to be keep the passengers entertained they need to have a great knowledge in communicating with them and have loads of confidence and enthusiasm. Transfers They transfer guests to and from the airport and hotels every day, they control airport transfers which means its an early start to take the departures to the airport and meet all the new arrivals. They are there to make sure that there are no problems with lost luggage or coaches. Welcome meetings They have to conduct welcome meetings which could be every day depending on the amount of clients or customers coming into the resort that you are currently working at. Welcome meetings consist of all the information that the guests need to know regarding excursions and activities within the hotel itself. Information booklets They are busy every day looking after their customers and participating in many activities and going on different excursions but they may have a bit of free time to get together an information booklet. This will give customers an idea of what they will be doing during their stay. Health and safety checks They complete risk assessments and health and safety checks which is very important and they will also have to make sure everything is up to standard. When they conduct these checks they will need to report any concerns they may have to someone who is higher than them in their career, they report incidents which they think is serious and they are not able to resolve on their own. Selling (e.g. excursions, car hire) They organise the entertainment for pool parties, club and pub crawls and party nights and they print off all the tickets needed for the events during the week. They also get involved in the activities; they make sure all clubs are safe and that the activities are located in appropriate areas. Calculating payments (e.g. currency, commissions, liquidation) They have to collect and balance foreign money and have a great knowledge to how to give discounts; this may be used if a customer is not happy with their hotel room for example the flush handle on the toilet is broken. Calculating foreign money can be quite difficult so they have to make sure they are giving the right amount to the customers because all pounds and notes are different world wide. Administration and paperwork They sort out all the reports and make sure that everyone has all the paperwork which they will need for the airport and the resorts in general. They also check that no last minute bookings have been made and report all the tickets that have been sold and expenses and suppliers that have been paid out that week. Problem solving (e.g. overbookings, complaints) They answer customers queries and problems, for example a passenger may have an accident in one of the night clubs and have to been taken to hospital in an emergency so its their job to go on that hospital trip with that passenger. This is because you will have to explain everything that happened and also because you are their representative during their stay. Non routine incidents (e.g. accidents, illness, emergency situations) Accidents and illness are a major situation and if for example a customer has jumped into the pool completely drunk, 18-30 representatives job is to make sure that there is a life guard around to jump in and get the passenger out as soon as possible. Transfer Representatives Responsibilities To the customer They are responsible to meet and greet passengers at the airport and take them to their hotel resort along with a talk on their journey to their accommodation keeping them entertained with commentary talk. They also have to keep an eye of each customers luggage so they get given the right one and their main job is to collect money from their customers followed by a receipt to show proof that they have paid. To the organisation Their responsibility is to let the receptionist at the hotel know how many passengers they will be bringing in and taking out each day so they know what rooms to clean. Health and safety checks regularly are important so all passengers can feel safe around the area these include checking hotel facilities and if they meet the customers requirements. To suppliers Transfer representatives are required to transfer passengers to and from the airport so therefore they have to keep in touch daily with coach companies. The reason for this is because the drivers of the coaches will need to know what hotel and airport to travel to and also the number of passengers they will be carrying as there will need to be luggage space at the bottom of the coach. Roles and Duties Meet and greet (Roles) They meet passengers as soon as they get off the plane and arrive at the airport with a welcoming smile and the company placard which is always needed as you dont know what your customers look like. This is followed by showing them their way to the coach with their bags and luggage. Transfers They accompany holiday makers to and from the airport and hotels by coach and they are the first to be seen by the passengers so therefore they always need to be approachable and carry a smile with them everywhere they travel. Coach commentaries During the coach trips down to the resorts they will have to keep their passengers welcomed and entertained and are also responsible for conducting a welcome talk that includes  basic information about the resort which they will be staying in. Welcome meetings They are normally held in the hotel itself which explains the drop offs which they will have to do regularly either at hotels or the airport, how long the trip will last altogether and when their welcome meetings will be conducted. Notice boards They have to read the transport department notice board on a daily basis to remind themselves what coach they will be picking their passengers up with, the time and date, name of airport, name of hotel and also the number of passengers they will be collecting. Health and safety checks They have to ensure all health and safety requirements are met in relation to transfers and carry them out on all hotels. This is important because you do not want passengers to carry a complaint about the rooms especially if its their first time staying in that hotel. Calculating payments (e.g. currency, commissions, liquidation) They will have to collect money from clients followed by a receipt to show evidence that the passenger have paid and also keep in mind the number of passengers they are taking making sure they identify their baggage. To help speed up the routine they could count the number of baggage personally. Administration and paperwork They have to accurately complete paperwork relating to transfers in relation with company guidelines and resort timeframes, complete basic records and write reports. Problem solving (e.g. overbookings, complaints) They have to deal with lost luggage and any injuries and thefts which may occur either at the resort or at the airport before getting picked up. Non routine incidents (e.g. accidents, illness, emergency situations) If any serious accidents occur or someone is seriously ill then they call for help as their role is to only complete the paperwork where they record the accidents for example; time, date, place, name of person and the accident that has happened. Childrens Representatives Responsibilities To the customer They are responsible to look after young children and keep them entertained by involving in a variety of activities in the hotel itself as well as outside and also to organise events and day trips out. Their main job is to tidy up after every mess they make and this is all due to health and safety, if an accident was to happen involving a child you will have responsibility for that and their parents will not feel safe to leave their child with you. To the organisation As they will be busy entertaining young children with board activities, quizzes, painting and drawing they have to make sure every area is clean and suitable for the kids to move around the room. Activities which are held in the resort itself can be quite nosy especially young children as they get excited easily, so therefore its the representatives job to make sure they are on their best behaviour and can keep the noise down as there will be people in their rooms and moving around the building. To suppliers Children Representatives are mainly required to hire a hall or a room at a hotel for the kids to be kept entertained for a day or two so they will have to rely on staff working in the hotel. This is because they will need to know where everything is to put it back at the end of the day and what equipment they are allowed to use. Roles and Duties Meet and greet (Roles) They have to build a great rapport with the children as well as their parents on arrival and explain how you will be their guide throughout their holiday; they will be responsible for escorting guests to their hotel. Welcome meetings They also hold a welcome meeting which consists of promoting holidays to the children and their parents advertising the childrens club alongside an overseas consultant. Notice boards Notice boards are required as they have to advertise what they will be doing each day, the times of each activity including snack and lunch breaks and also where the activities are going to be placed. The notice board will be up for the childrens parents to keep them informed of details of excursions as this includes travelling outside of the hotel. Information booklets Information booklets can be given out to parents and their children either on the coach, at the resort itself on the reception desk or even in their hotel rooms; this includes all the activities, excursions to do, restaurants around, fire exits and contact details of the hotel and the representative. Health and safety checks They have to focus on the health and safety of the children within the club environment and during the activities they participate in. This is to ensure no accidents or injuries occur within the resort and to make sure that the hotel is environmentally friendly. They also complete risk assessments for the childrens club and off-site as well as identifying the risks. Selling (e.g. excursions, car hire) They organise the activities to do and also the excursions meaning days out and taking the children to visit somewhere, they have to contact wherever they wish to visit and to let them know roughly the times they will enter and leave and also the number of children visiting. Calculating payments (e.g. currency, commissions, liquidation) They will have to collect payments from parents if they wish for their child to exit out of the hotel building and visit places with their guide and other children. They also need to have some background knowledge of different currencies because different countries require different types of money. Administration and paperwork Childrens representative complete accident forms in case of a serious fall which required an ambulance and they record incidents including; time, date, place and what happened. Their job is also to maintain attendance lists and register this is in case of an emergency where everyone has to leave the building, occasionally count that they have the right number of children with them, collect parents contact details and book in and out procedures. Problem solving (e.g. overbookings, complaints) They answer any questions parents may have and deal with any complaints for example a child was wearing a cardigan outside the hotel on her excursion with her team leader and came back to her parents without the cardigan. The parents will then argue about their daughters cardigan and it will be the childrens representative job to try and get it back by phoning wherever they had visited for the day. Non routine incidents (e.g. accidents, illness, emergency situations) Children have different needs; some have walking difficulties so therefore uses a wheelchair, some may be either blind or deaf, others may have an allergy to a certain food whereas others may have health needs e.g. eczema, asthma or diabetes. If any child has a serious accident for example a child on a wheelchair falls over then they will have the responsibility to deal with that so before looking after children they have to make sure they know each childs personal details. Organising activities (e.g. childrens club) They organising daytime and evening activities which include singing competitions, quizzes, board games, ball games which is held in the club, around the club and off-site. Excursions include children theme parks, aquariums, water parks, swimming pools, farms and zoos. They read bedtime stories to get them to fall asleep as some kids can be hyper from their day out and therefore cannot fall asleep. They also create safe activities for all ages, including anything from pyjama parties and sports days through to pirate and fairytale  themed shows and activities. Managing groups Using their communication and observation skills they help all the children they look after to manage behaviour, resolve conflict and help them participate in activities. This will help them boost their confidence and enjoy something they have never done before or anything they thought they would never be able to do. Cleaning After each activity they are responsible to tidy up the mess which is left after a full day of different activities, this will help reduce accidents and injuries which could occur during the day if for example someone left a chair in the middle of the room.

Effective Use of Imagery in William Blake’s The Lamb and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s A Very Old Man Wi :: William Blake Lamb Essays

Effective Use of Imagery in William Blake’s The Lamb and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings "Sailboats as big as cruise ships/ Glide gracefully across the ocean's glassy surface." Have you ever read a piece of literature and found it to be immensely satisfying due to the enormous amount of descriptions used by either the poet or the author? As the opening line illustrates what is happening at the beach, the reader is able to really get to know what the author is trying to explain. These descriptions are referred to as imagery. Imagery is used to give a detailed portrayal of a person, place, or thing. In the short story, "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings," by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and in the poem, "The Lamb," by William Blake, both, author and poet, use imagery to depict to their audience their own perception of an angel. In the story, "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings," Marquez first lets the reader know that, "the fallen body with mute stupor" (828), was an angel by writing that he, "couldn't get up, impeded by his enormous wings" (828). Much of today's societies first initial thought of a man with wings are to believe that this person is an angel. People have many different beliefs of what an angel is supposed to look like. Marquez, not wanting his readers to stray away from what his own personal view of an angel in this story, uses imagery to clarify his perception of the angel. Marquez notes that the angel has an, "incomprehensible dialect with a strong sailor's voice," "he was dressed like a ragpicker," "huge buzzard wings, dirty and half-plucked," "only a few faded hairs on his bald skull and very few teeth in his mouth," and most likely the most significant, "his pitiful condition of a drenched great-grandfather had taken away any sense of grandeur he might have had" (828). Without the latte r details of the "angel", the reader would have the opportunity to use whatever they tend to believe and angel is. Marquez sets up the description of the angel to enable the reader to understand why the townspeople may have treated the angel as they had, "as if he weren't a supernatural creature but a circus animal" (829). In the poem, "The Lamb," Blake uses imagery to explain the way the, "Little Lamb" (Line 1), looks like.

Making Decisions In The Road Not Taken by Frost :: essays research papers

Making Decisions in â€Å"The Road Not Taken†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"The Road Not Taken† Frost emphasizes that every person is a traveler choosing the roads to follow on the map of their continuous journey-life. There is never a straight path that leads a person one sole direction in which to head. Regardless of the original message that Robert Frost had intended to convey, â€Å"The Road Not Taken† has left me with many different interpretations. Throughout this poem, it is obvious that decisions are not easy to make and each decision will lead you down a different path. In this poem, Frost illustrates that every person has his own opinion. He states â€Å"Then took the other, just as fair, and having perhaps the better claim† (line 6-7). What make it better was â€Å"it was grassy and wanted wear† (line 8). It was something that was obviously not for everyone because it seems that the other people take the more popular one. â€Å"And both that morning equally lay/ In leaves no step had trodden black† (line 11). No one had yet to pass by on this road since the leaves have fallen. â€Å"I kept the first for another day† (line 13). The desire to travel down both paths is expressed and is not unusual, but â€Å"knowing how way leads onto way† (line 14). The speaker of this poem realizes that the decision is not just a temporary one, and he â€Å"doubted if I should ever come back† (line 15). This is his common sense speaking and acknowledging that what he chooses now will affect every other choice he will make in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the end of the poem, the regret hangs over the travelers’ head. He realizes that at the end of his life, â€Å"somewhere ages and ages hence† (line 17), He will have regrets about having never gone back and traveling down the road he did not take. Yet he remains proud of his decision, and he recognizes that it was this path that he chose that made him turn out the way he did. â€Å"I took the road less traveled by and that has made all the difference† (line 19-20). To this man, what really made the difference is that he did what he wanted, even if it meant taking the road less traveled.

Epistemic Opacity

Michelle Freeman 05/24/2012 English 101 Epistemic Opacity Computers, tablets, I-phones, I-pads, cellular phones, e-readers and more are now considered daily necessities as well as pleasure apparatus’ that society relies on exponentially to get through each day. From the time we wake until we lie our heads down at night, society is constantly â€Å"plugged in† to some sort of technological advance. Due to this dependency on these electronic devices, society has succumb to a world of bits and bytes with no real consideration to how these tools work or provide the connection(s) we have come to count on.Sherry Turkle, an Abby Rockefeller Mauze Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology states in her essay How Computers Change the Way We Think, â€Å"Some thinkers argue that the new opacity is empowering, enabling anyone to use the most sophisticated technological tools and to experiment with in complex and creativ e ways. But it is also true that our tools carry the message that they are beyond our understanding. It is possible that in daily life, epistemic opacity can lead to passivity† (568).Epistemic opacity is a fancy way of saying that the understanding of how something actually works does not mean that you don’t know how to use or work that same something. Take a lawnmower for example; a person of general intelligence understands that gasoline needs to be put into the engine in order for it to run. That same person understands that depositing of oil is equally important for the engine to maintain lubrication and cooling. A turning of a sharp blade that is powered by the engine is what cuts the grass.Intellectually we understand not only how to use the lawnmower but how the lawnmower actually works. Typically we are not passive in our acceptance of such general day to day use items, such as said lawnmower. Technology however, is different. The intellectual understanding of t echnology and how it actually works does not seem to be a priority for the masses of today. The importance of understanding of personal technologies is key to counteracting this opacity that appears to be more and more prevalent as technological developments continue to progress.By not paying attention to the basic understanding of technology, we are willingly and openly allowing ourselves to be directed and manipulated in a way that removes individual opportunity for growth and understanding where technology is concerned; our development in this arena is left to creators of technology to decide. Intellectual lack and lesser intelligence regarding these tools of technology does not appear to be the consensus opinion among our fellow citizens but rather there is the general thought that we are all part of a growing technological wave that makes us all smarter and more advanced.However, in all actuality, it is more that cognitively people are running the risk of intellectual deficienc y and passivity as Turkle expresses. Turkle states that soon after she joined the faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the late 70’s, which was coincidentally the end of an era of the slide rule and the beginning of the era of personal computers, she witnessed several senior professors in engineering complaining that the transitions from slide rule (a mechanical analog computer used primarily for multiplication and division) to calculators had affected their students ability to deal with issues of scale (564). The Professors were arguing that when students used slide rules, they had to insert decimal points themselves. They insisted that inserting the points themselves required students to maintain a mental sense of scale, whereas those who relied on calculators made frequent errors in orders of magnitude. Because of this, the students with calculators had lost their ability to do â€Å"back of the envelope† calculations, and with that, an intuitive feel for the material† (564).It is possible that because society accepts at face value the technology that we have come to depend on, that the level of passivity is leading to a reduced intelligence as a whole. Personal experience has led me to witness many people more interested in the brand, make and model of their personal technological items than as to how these items send, receive, record and process information. The general core mechanics of each individual piece of technology should be made common public knowledge.It is not so much that people need to understand the inner workings of every motherboard out there; as it is that we receive a general understanding of how personal technologies work. How does a touchscreen actually operate? How can picture messages float through the air and land inside another phone or make their way to someone’s email inbox? What do we know really about the implication of radiation, if any regarding consistently placing technology aga inst the sides of our heads?I cannot answer these questions and many others because that information is not something readily available to or sought after by the general public. Society accepts openly that these technological items do what they are marketed and sold to do. Through blind acceptance we become susceptible to a possible deprivation of necessary knowledge. It is important to comprehend the effects and/or implications of daily use, in order to facilitate continued intellectual growth that parallels the technological boom.Charles McGrath, writer and editor for the New York Times, touches on epistemic opacity in his essay The Pleasures of the text. McGrath is referring to text-messaging when he states â€Å"text-messaging is â€Å"lateral† rather than â€Å"penetrative,† and the medium encourages blandness and even mindlessness† (474). McGrath suggests that as Americans we use text-messaging with no real consideration or thought. He is referencing a com mon practice among individuals who use text-messaging to convey quick, mindless jargon in an efficient and non-personal way (474).This line of thought connects to opacity in that it shows how text-messaging is just one example of many how society has become so relaxed and comfortable in the use of technology that not only do we not consider how technology works, we have taken it even further and we don’t even truly consider what we put out into the world with our technological devices. Society has become lazy where this is concerned. Turkle supports this idea in her aforementioned essay when she expresses her personal witness to the psychological effects of computational objects in everyday life.She states that passivity regarding technology is becoming more and more apparent in that the â€Å"people who built or bought the first generation of personal computers understood them completely. The next generation of operating systems were more complex, but they still invited tha t old-time reductive understanding†. Turkle states that contemporary information technology encourages different habits of mind. She goes on to say â€Å"today’s college students are already used to taking things at (inter)face value† (568). I witness this daily in my own life every time I see my children access all different types of technology.When I ask them to explain the deeper operation of the technology they are currently using, they cannot do it. They explain it is not important to be able to use the current chosen technology. This attitude causes me concern because I worry that they are becoming a culture that does not ask the deeper questions. They just accept at (inter)face value as Turkle expressed. To grow along with the technological boom and to understand the deeper reasoning behind the operation of said technology will keep minds active and aware.It is important that resignation to acceptance of our technological world does not continue to grow an d expand. We can accomplish this by thinking for ourselves, preparing for our children and teaching future generations they must not blindly accept what is given to them. If they do, opacity and passivity will prevail to the point that we are all walking around filled with intellectual knowledge that has been directly controlled, removing individuality of thought and expression.Technology today is an amazing and powerful thing, at times it might even be considered beautiful. I personally look forward to technological advances and the wonderful happenings that will accompany these events; however, it must not be at the cost of our own personal intellectual development. Opacity and passivity are not conducive to society maintaining an upward intellectual growth regarding technology. Let us grow with and because of, technology.

Impacts of Tourism in Host Communities

IMPACTS OF TOURISM IN HOST COMMUNITIES Tourism is one of the most important worldwide activities; it is also of great importance to the socio-economic and cultural development of a country. Tourism is a vital tool for conservation of natural systems, contributes to sustainable development of local communities and creating communities about sharing experiences. But if this activity is disorganized, uncontrolled and poorly planned can cause damage to both, environmental and cultural.People started feeling the necessity to travel when they realise the world was full of new and different things to do, and at the same time those things offer them new lifestyle. However they were not only with the intention to visit and learned, they wanted to establish and teach their own traditions to these new places and societies. Nevertheless, not all people change the community, the majority of time community changes the idea of what would be an appropriate lifestyle of those new members. For this re ason we can say that tourism has been creating positive and negative impacts on host communities.On the other hand, when people decide to travel the cultural factor plays an important role at the moment decision is about to make. Tourists usually choose a destination completely different to their current environment. That is why this essay will discuss the good and bad consequences tourism cause on host communities. In addition, it will argue about the importance of the cultural factor within the tourism. Negative impacts on host communities It is hard to think that tourism an activity that can make feel happy can carry negative impacts.According to Bruce (2001), one of the biggest problems of tourism is that tourists and visitors invade places that belong just to the community, such sacred temples or lands, destroying or making bad use of their properties. This is due to travel agents vending trips to the authenticity of host communities, assaulting their private places, ceremonies and rituals. And, because of that tourist may misunderstand the main reason of why those rituals or ceremonies are for, along with bad comments about the destination causing decreasing of the tourism.Tourism also brings a number of consequences such: prostitution, gambling, begging and crime. The existence of these activities except of crime is due the tourist. People create these new services to satisfy the customers in this case the tourists. Prostitution in third world countries is very common. According to Duncan, E, and Navarro, H (2001) in Colombia, Cartagena children prostitution is common due to the economic conditions of the population. The majority of the children don’t have enough money to satisfy their basic necessities such food, and clean water.For that reason they sell their bodies for less than 50 dollars to tourists. One the other hand, another negative impact of tourism in undeveloped countries is the use of money earn by tourism activities. Indigenous from third world countries do not receive any profit made by them, contrary they live in poor conditions. This kind of host communities, despite what is sold to tourists is their lifestyle they suffer from health problems, poor access to education, expropriation of their land, extreme poverty, violation of their right and discrimination. On the other hand crimes increase in countries which the lifestyle is too high, due to the large number of tourist in the area. Furthermore, French, C, and Craig-Smith, S (2000), even though tourisms bring employment, it also brings rivalry between citizens in the community. The type of work that tourism creates is casual or part-time jobs, that means that natives won’t have the opportunity to work all the year. Besides foreign people travel to those communities in peak season and take the job of the citizens.Positive impacts on host communities On the other hand tourism can bring positive impacts to host communities. Gursay and Rutherford (2011) suggest that: Its basic tent is that locals are likely to participate in an exchange if they believe that they are likely to gain benefits without incurring unacceptable cost if locals perceive that the benefits are greater that the cost, they are inclined to be involve in the exchange and, thus endorse future development in their community. † (Gursay & Rutherford 2011, p. 95) To travel tourists must have a purpose, most of the time people go overseas to know new cultures, different sceneries. For that reason is important that the destination place have good infrastructure, flora and fauna sanctuaries and great amenities for the tourists. Besides, the local people can make use for personal purpose. In addition, tourism helps the preservation of traditional customs such: dances, food, rites, and festivals. It is important to protect old customs to attract tourist to go.Christopher (1998) state: â€Å"The impacts can be positive, such as the case where tourism preserves or eve n resurrects the craft skills of the population† (Christopher 1998, p. 169). Conclusion In conclusion tourism can bring positive and negative impacts; the negative impacts can be more than the positive. However, it is an industry that won’t finish despite all the consequences its make. Tourism helps the economy and develops of a country. Reference 1. Bruce, D 2001, Environmental, Ecotourism.Socio-cultural impact, John Wiley & Sons Australia, Milton, pp. 120-124. 2. Christopher, P 1998, Tourism: principle and practice. The socio-cultural impact of tourism, 2nd edn, vol. 8, Longman, England, pp. 168-184. 3. French, C, Craig-Smith, S, and Collier, A 2000, Principles of tourism. The impact of tourism, 2nd edn, Person Education, Australia, pp. 305-330. 4. Gursay, D & Rutherford, D 2011, â€Å"Developing a community support model for tourism†, annals of tourism research, vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 64-988, SciVerse ScienceDirect Journals, EBSCohost, Viewed 27 April 2012. 5. Na varro, H, Duncan, E 2001, â€Å"Prostitucion de menores en Cartagena: Estimacion de costos sociales y economicos†, Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano seccional del Caribe Departamento de investigaciones, pp. 8-11, google schoolar, viewed 14 March 2012. 6. Wearing, S & Neil, J 2009, Ecotourism Impacts, Potentials and Possibilities. Ecotourism and Protected areas: Visitor Management for Sustaninability,2nd edn, Burlington: Elsevier